The departure boards at New Zealand's two main international airports will be filling up with far-flung destinations, with a host of airlines announcing their plans for the rest of 2023.

More airlines have signalled their intention to return to New Zealand or bring back routes that haven’t operated since the pandemic started. But we’ll also be seeing some all-new offerings – with travellers jetting to the US set to be particularly spoiled for choice.

Auckland Airport said pre-Covid, it had 29 airlines operating to 43 destinations. By the peak summer season, it would have 26 airlines operating to 37 destinations.

This included seven airlines flying non-stop from Auckland to eight destinations in North America, and five airlines operating to four cities in mainland China.

“New Zealand is now well and truly connected again across the globe, giving Kiwis a multitude of options for where they want to go, and importantly, it’s easier for visitors to reach our corner of the world,” said Auckland Airport chief customer officer Scott Tasker.

However, there are still some services that are yet to return to our skies. While most of the Chinese carriers will soon be back, the one we haven’t heard from is Sichuan Airlines, which pre-pandemic offered flights between Auckland and Chengdu.

Philippine Airlines, which previously operated non-stop services between Auckland and Manila, is still missing, as is Thai Airways – which had flown the Auckland to Bangkok route since 1987. Samoa Airways, which flew from Auckland to Apia, is no longer flying internationally.

Meanwhile, Christchurch Airport is waiting on China Southern and Cathay Pacific to bring back the direct services to Guangzhou and Hong Kong that were on offer before the pandemic.

Missing from the mix at Wellington Airport is Singapore Airlines, which used to fly from the capital to Singapore via Melbourne. The service was suspended at the start of the pandemic and the airline closed its Wellington base, saying it has no immediate plans to return.

A big gap across the Tasman is Virgin Australia, which before the pandemic operated to Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown and Dunedin. Now, it only offers flights to Queenstown.

But here is a list of the relaunched or new airlines and routes that Kiwis can fly on this year.

Air New Zealand’s seasonal service to Bali, Indonesia resumed on March 29, marking the last of the airline’s international routes to get back up and running post-Covid. The airline is operating the route three times a week – increasing to five services during the winter and school holiday period between June 26 and July 30 – until October 27, using the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

Having resumed its non-stop flights using the A380 between Auckland and Dubai at the end of last year, March 27 saw Emirates return to Christchurch, with its daily flights to Dubai via Sydney. The A380 used on the Christchurch route is notable as it features the airline’s new four-class cabin, with economy, premium economy, business and first class on offer.

From May 2, Air China will restart its New Zealand services, operating four times a week between Beijing and Auckland using the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The flag carrier is one of China’s “big three” airlines, alongside Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines and Guangzhou-based China Southern Airlines, which are already operating in New Zealand.

June 17 will see the return of another Chinese carrier, Hainan Airlines, which will operate two services a week to Shenzen in the southeast – China’s third-most populous city after Shanghai and Beijing. The airline will fly its flagship A330-300 on the route.

Announced last August, Qantas’ non-stop flight from Auckland to New York will launch on June 14, with three services a week. Australia’s flag carrier will be in direct competition with Air New Zealand, which launched its own non-stop New York flights in September. Like Air New Zealand, Qantas will use the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on the route.

September will see the return of Qatar Airways’ non-stop service between Auckland and Doha, which when it launched in 2017 was the longest flight in the world (though it’s since been pipped by Singapore Airlines’ flights from Singapore to New York and Newark). The airline has still been operating the route throughout the pandemic, but with a stop in Australia. However, it will return to its non-stop glory using the Airbus A350-1000.

The start of the summer season will see a major US airline making its debut in New Zealand – Delta, which will launch daily non-stop flights between Auckland and Los Angeles from October 28. The airline will operate the route with the Airbus A350-900.

United Airlines already operates non-stop flights between Auckland and San Francisco, but from October 28, will add four weekly flights direct to LA, using the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

December 1 will then see United become the only airline to connect the South Island and the US, by launching non-stop flights between Christchurch and San Francisco. The airline will operate the route three times weekly, using the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.

Also offering direct flights from Auckland to LA this summer is American Airlines, which will launch its seasonal service on December 21. The airline used to operate this route before the pandemic, but when it returned to New Zealand in October last year, changed to Dallas Fort Worth. The airline will operate the daily LA flights in addition to the Dallas Fort Worth service, using the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, but only for a short run, ending on March 3.